50% growth in grooming among Indian males in 2016: Google

New Delhi: If you thought that grooming is associated only with females, think again. According to a survey by technology giant Google, 43 per cent Indian men in 2016 turned to Google Search to get answers for their grooming needs.

“50 per cent YoY growth was observed in searches around ‘male grooming’, with ‘shaving’ having the highest search share, followed by ‘deodorants’,” revealed Google in its survey titled ‘Year in Search 2016′ on Saturday.

Men were found to be three times more interested in ‘trimmers’ than ‘razors’ which can also be seen by an 80 per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth in searches for ‘beard styles’.

Beauty searches on Google saw a 70 per cent YoY growth, with the highest around ‘hair care’, followed by ‘skin care’ and ‘makeup’.

The survey recorded a “five times increase in watch time for beauty tips and styles content” last year.

Further, in 2016 ‘dating’ related searches on Google grew by 50 per cent.

“Searches and app downloads for ‘dating’ were hand in glove in 2016. ‘Dating’ related searches grew by 50 per cent, along with a 53 per cent increase in downloads for ‘dating’ apps,” the survey said.

The year 2016 also saw an increase in the number of female online shoppers.

The top products purchased by women online were apparel, which accounted for 77 per cent, followed by beauty care at 62 per cent and electronics at 59 per cent.

“While the number of women online shoppers is set to rise five times, from the current 15 million to 75 million in 2020, a 42 per cent ‘eTail’ spend will be driven by women,” the statement said.

IANS